The drawing up of an effective strategy and action plan in the EU for the handling of migration and refugee issues, as well as the improvement of the member-states' good practices exchange tools will be the priorities of the Ministry of the Interior for the forthcoming Greek EU Presidency, Interior Minister Yiannis Michelakis said in Brussels on December 5. Regarding the migration and refugee issues, efforts will focus to a more effective cooperation between the EU and third countries, mainly the countries of origin.

Concerning legal migration, the Interior Ministry will seek an agreement between the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the European Commission on a draft directive concerning the movement of third country entrepreneurs, as well as third country nationals entering the EU for scientific research, studies, student exchange, paid or free training and volunteerism.

Public Order and Citizen Protection Nikos Dendias presented the priorities of Greece’s rotating EU Presidency in the areas of migration and asylum to the Council of Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs Council on Thursday; it will focus on a European approach and holistic management of migration policy, along with actions to mitigate the impact of illegal immigration on the economic, social and political realities of the EU member-states. Specifically, Dendias underlined that the Greek Presidency aims at strengthening policies related to migration within the context of the "EU Global Approach to Migration.”

Furthermore, Greece will update the "EU Action on Migratory Pressures – a Strategic Response" with emphasis on measures to combat illegal migration and human trafficking.

The prospects created by the Association Agreement signed by the EU and Moldova in Vilnius last week dominated the meeting between Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Kourkoulas and visiting Moldovan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Iulian Groza, on December 5. Their discussion focused on bilateral trade prospects and the presence of Greek business in the Moldovan market; the possibility of a visa waiver for Moldovan passports was also discussed. Both sides agreed on setting up a joint governmental committee on economic, technological and scientific cooperation.

Defence Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos addressed the Research & Technology Conference 2013: Critical Defence Technologies – Exploring Innovation Together Conference, co-organised by the European Defence Agency and the Greek National Defence Ministry in Athens on December 5-6.

Avramopoulos underscored that “(…) increased collaboration in Research & Technology worths the extra efforts, as it prevents duplication of national investments and leads to economies of scale. This is also one of the priorities of the Hellenic Presidency, as from January 1st 2014.”

He also said that “Heads of States and Governments have realized that the forthcoming European Council is not the end of the “defence journey” but the beginning of a new European Defence future. For this reason, all EU partners should contribute to EDA’s bright future remains on their own hands.

More information: Conference Programme

Anti - apartheid icon, South Africa's first democratically elected President Nelson Mandela died yesterday at the age of 95. One of the most inspiring figures of the 20th Century, imprisoned for 27 years, Mandela was an " international emblem of dignity and forbearance."

Government Vice-president and Foreign Minister has issued the following statement: Nelson Mandela entered the realm of global history these many years now as a figure emblematic of the universal struggle against racism and xenophobia; as a symbol of the ongoing struggle for human dignity, equality and freedom.

All humanity bids him farewell at a time when, unfortunately, many of the attainments of democratic political culture are being called into question. Let us hope that his name and his image serve always as point of reference with substantial institutional and social content.

A multi-part musical work composed by Dimitris Papadimitriou and inspired by Aesop’s fables will be staged at the Onassis Cultural Centre until December 8.  The work is primarily orchestral, though singers and a narrator bring the fables’ animal heroes to life using the shadow puppets theatre tradition. Papadimitriou interprets Aesop’s fables as providing archetypal lessons in citizenship.

Aesop is the ancient Greek fabulist whose existence remains uncertain and no writings by him survive.

Nevertheless, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries, in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day. His dialogues are brief, his stories short, and they all end with a lesson to be learned.

"There are many outdoor movie theaters around the world but none of them are as spectacular as Cine Thisio in Athens, situated at the foothill of Acropolis with an amazing view of Parthenon," mentioned Christian Blauvelt, editor of BBC, in his tribute for the best cinemas in the world. Cine Thisio, the oldest summer cinema of Athens, is one of the ten best cinemas in the world, according to BBC; it is open only during summer time and its one screen shows mostly new releases. However, one can also watch movies dating back to 1935.

Ιn February of 2012, Cine Thisio was declared by CNN, as the best summer cinema in the world.

Greek Reporter: BBC:Cine Thisio Among Top Ten in the World